Recipes From The Heart
by xxFoxWriterxx
Summary: When Nicolette's cousin,Cornelia,comes to Rome,Luciano can't seem to keep his eyes off her. This couldn't be love,could it? When Cornelia comes back to Rome to see her cousin Nicolette,a certain bespeckled man catches her eye. This can't be love,can it?
1. Introduction

INTRODUCTION

On a street near the center of Rome, is a mysterious restaurant called Casetta dell'Orso. How I came upon this place, I do not know. I guess you could call it fate that I chanced upon it.

"So this is Casetta dell'Orso." I said looking up from a small piece of paper. It looked so small from the outside. A light went off behind the entrance door, then, a tall man, in about his fifties, came out of the restaurant. He was surprised to see me standing outside the door. "I'm sorry ma'am, but we are closing now." He said in a deep voice. He wore reading glasses and had his hair slipped back; or what little hair he had. "A-Ah, no, I was actually looking for someone. Nicolette, is Nicolette here?" He turned to look inside, and just as he did, Nicolette came walking out.

"Ah! Nicolette, is that you?"

"Cornelia? Cornelia!"

She came running up to me. "Oh Cornelia, it's so good to see you." "Its' been a while hasn't it?" "Do you know this women Nicolette?" She turned to face him.

"Yes, she's my cousin. Cornelia, this is Luciano, Luciano, this is Cornelia."

"It's nice to meet you." He nodded in reply.

"Cornelia, when did you get here?"

"I arrived just a little while ago."

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"No, not yet, I was going to check into a hotel after I saw you."

"Why don't you come stay at my place? It'll be like old times."

"Ok then."

Nicolette grabbed one of my bags, said her goodbyes to everyone, and then we set off.

I don't know what drew me to this place; I guess you could say it was the feeling it gave. That warm home feeling. The feeling I lost long ago.


	2. Recipe 1

**Recipe 1: A Bit of Cornelia, And a Dash of Luciano**

Rome, my birth place.

I haven't seen it in so long.

I can faintly remember its magnificent beauty.

My mother has convinced me to return to my homeland and start over; yes start over seems about right. If I start over, everything should be fine, right?

I'll no long have to be reminded of what happened, I can start fresh, with new surroundings, and not have to think of **it.**

So off to Rome it is then, and while I'm there, I think I might just go see Nicolette, and this well-known Casetta dell'Orso.

xXx

That's what she said, but now Cornelia wasn't so sure. She kept thinking she made a horrible mistake, even as she descended from her plane. "Oh, how I've missed you Rome." She stared out the window of the airport. Cornelia was a very pale complected woman; most women envied her for having such porcelain like skin. She had chestnut colored locks, and was very short for her age. Being at the age of 25, Cornelia barley made it past the height of 5'1''. Most would miss judge her for a pre-teen, but she didn't mind. It wasn't her facial features that helped her get through culinary school; it was her wit and passion for cooking that had helped her.

Cornelia signed; she still thought it was a bad idea to have come here. "I should've planned this out more thoroughly than just rushing out." Cornelia grabbed her bags and set out to find her cousin, and the restaurant called Casetta dell'Orso.

xXx

After much searching and asking around, she finally found it. "So this is it?" She said as she looked up from the slip of paper in her hands. It looked like any other little restaurant, but many have said it has a high popularity rate. What made it so special? What made this restaurant best all the others? In the mist of her thoughts, Cornelia noticed the light go off in the front entrance. Than the door opened to reveal a tall man in about his fifties. His white hair was slicked back and was wearing reading glasses.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but we are closing now." He said in a deep voice.

"A-Ah, no, I was actually looking for someone."

"And who might that be?"

"Her name is Nicolette, is she here?"

He turned to look inside, and just as he did, Nicolette came walking out.

"Ah! Nicolette, is that you?"

"Cornelia? Cornelia!"

Nicolette ran up and embraced in a bear hug.

"Oh Cornelia, it's so good to see you."

"Its' been a while hasn't it?"

"Do you know this women Nicolette?" She turned to the man who opened the door. "Yes, she's my cousin. Cornelia, this is Luciano, Luciano, this is Cornelia."

"It's nice to meet you." He nodded in reply.

"Cornelia, when did you get here?"

"I arrived just a little while ago."

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"No, not yet, I was going to check into a hotel after I saw you."

"Why don't you come stay at my place? It'll be like old times."

"Ok then."

Nicolette went back inside and said her goodbyes to everyone, then took Cornelia's hand, and set off to her apartment.

xXx

On the way over Cornelia and Nicolette talked about old times. How they spent holidays and summers together with Cornelia's sister, Novia.

"So how have you been, good I hope?"

"Yeah, I guess." She said with a bit of a sad tone. Nicolette heard the sadness in her voice."Hm? What's wrong Cornelia?"

"Oh, it's nothing, I'm fine." That wasn't true. There was defiantly something wrong with Cornelia, but would she tell her sweet cousin? No, she didn't want to be a burden to anyone, especially to her.

"Are you sure?" Nicolette pushed trying to get more out of her. "Yeah, I'm perfectly fine." She said with a weak smile. Nicolette knew her cousin enough to now something was wrong, but decided to let it go. If she really wanted to tell her, she would in her own time. She changed the subject instead of pry.

"So, how is Novia doing?"

"Oh, she's doing fine, she should be getting out of culinary school pretty soon."

"Really?"

"Yep, she's at the top of her class, just like her big sister."

They talked the rest of the way till they reached Nicolette's apartment.

"You don't mind sleeping in the same bed with me, do you?" Nicolette asked trying to fish out her key's from her pocket. Cornelia gave her a face.

"It's not like we've never done that before Nicolette. Remember when you, Novia, and I would sleep together at grandma's."

"Ah, yes, I must have forgotten about that." She finally found her keys, and wiggled the right one into the key hole. "Welcome to my cozy home." Nicolette said when she opened the door. Cornelia walked in and set her things next to a pale yellow chair. As Nicolette made her way to the kitchen, Cornelia looked the apartment over. It wasn't small, but it wasn't big either. She liked it that, it fit her cousin perfectly. "Hey Cornelia, do you want some coffee?" Nicolette called from the kitchen. "Oh, sure thanks." She stepped into the door way of the kitchen, and watched her cousin busily work her way through the kitchen.

She looked so happy. It reminded her of herself, how she use to be full of smiles and laughs. When he was there with her. Cornelia felt her eyes began to water. She quickly wiped them away. She didn't want Nicolette to see her cry; she didn't want anyone to see her that way. Nicolette finished preparing the coffee and brought two cups over for them.

"So how are things back home in America?"

"Oh, you know, same old same old. Nothings really changed." She started to rub her ring finger. Nicolette noticed this.

"How long has it been?"

"Hm?"

"How long has it been?"She pointed to her hand. Cornelia noticed what she was doing, and automatically stopped. She placed her hands in her lap. "It's been about 3 years."

"He was such a wonderful man."

"Yes, he was."

Nicolette reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's ok, you can let it out now. You don't have to keep it balled up anymore." Cornelia stared at her, as if someone had finally broken the lock to her caged feelings. She could feel her eyes water, as tears started to run down her face.

"Thank you Nicolette." Nicolette pulled her into a hug, as she continued to weep.

**xXx **

A bit later, after a lot of crying, Cornelia fell asleep. Nicolette helped her out of her clothes and into bed.

"Cornelia, I know how sad you are, but I think you'll find happiness here, just like I did." With that Nicolette turned off the lights and went to bed.


End file.
